


Café Introversion/Café Introspection

by Jingle



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Friendship, Gen, Mild Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-14
Updated: 2014-09-14
Packaged: 2018-02-17 10:11:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2305964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jingle/pseuds/Jingle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After earning her eight gym badge, Serena needs some time to think. Before challening the Elite Four, she heads to the one Café where she's sure she won't run into any friends.</p>
<p>Of course, she should have realized by now, Shauna's always there when she needs her. Even if Serena doesn't realize she does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Café Introversion/Café Introspection

**Author's Note:**

  * For [heavenbows](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heavenbows/gifts).



> As is often the case, I'm late to the fandom. But I loved playing Y and wanted to lightly play with some of the events... And Shauna, because Shauna is great.

Café Introversion was very dimly lit. Serena assumed this was so the shy patrons didn't get overwhelmed. Or perhaps it had to do with keeping a level of anonymity. Whatever the case, Serena found the lack of bright, artificial light so commonly found in Lumiose City calming. Just then, she needed calming.

 

Adrenaline had filled her since the battles at the Team Flare Secret Headquarters. Adrenaline, and a level of fear for her own well-being. At that thought, she instinctively touched the Ultra Ball on her belt. Yveltal was a creature that could so easily cause death and ruin. When she'd battled it, she'd recognized its fear and desperation, and had known catching it was what she needed to do. But toting around the Legendary Pokémon of the Kalos region was still, simply put, scary.

 

She'd gotten close enough to Yveltal to battle an impressed Professor Sycamore with it, but then her mentor had brought up something she'd managed not to think about: Lysandre. So Serena had put all her focus into getting that final gym badge, but once it was over, she couldn't run from her thoughts anymore. Perhaps she could have thought only about the Elite Four, but _then_ what? No, she had to really think.

 

The truth was, Serena wasn't sure _how_ she felt about Lysandre's demise. She hadn't been able to have much sympathy for him, but she hated to see anyone turned to darkness like that. When Shauna and Calem, her dearest friends, had tried to give Lysandre hope for the future, she had wanted it to work. It didn't mean she'd ever like the man, but no one deserved to be so tormented... And, certainly, no one deserved to die.

 

She had just realized she was holding her head in her hands when she heard Shauna’s voice calling out to her. Serena tensed, but looked up and waved. Shauna grinned and came over to Serena’s table, sitting down across from her.

 

“Hello,” Shauna whispered, as if the darkness also meant quiet to her, “I heard you got your last gym badge. Congratulations.”

 

“Thank you, Shauna.”

 

“Is everything okay? You’re blonde again.” Shauna noted; Shauna’s skill with puzzles also let her see that a sudden change like that in Serena was a bad sign. Serena blushed. The change felt so shallow, but she’d needed a change; as if dying her hair back to its natural color would bring her back to being the girl who was just starting her journey.

 

Serena didn’t want to burden Shauna, who had seemed largely unaffected by the mess in Geosenge Town. But her friends eyes looked at her so pleadingly, so worriedly, that she found herself talking.

 

“I just feel so strange about what happened to Lysandre.”

 

“Oh, I get it.”

 

“If I hadn’t been there-”

 

“Then everyone outside of Team Flare, and all the Pokémon in Kalos, would be gone. Serena, you’re a hero.”

 

“Heh. I just… I don’t wish Lysandre _won_ , I just wish there could have been another way. I feel so guilty.”

 

“But we tried to talk to him!” Shauna exclaimed, only to be shh’d by some of the other patrons. She ducked her head in embarrassment and went on, “Besides, he set off the weapon and… Well, you know, at the end. Serena, I don’t think there _was_ another way. He was going to do everything he could, no matter what the cost to anyone, even himself.”

 

Serena sighed and brushed her fingers through her hair. “I guess that’s true.”

Shauna tapped her chin thoughtfully. “You’re still upset. But that makes sense, I think, after all you went through. I think you should talk to an adult about it, maybe. Someone more experience with the world than I am,” she giggled.

 

Serena hadn’t thought of that, but she gave a nod. “I’ll see if there’s someone who I can talk to. But… Don’t sell yourself short, Shauna. We’ve all had quite the adventure.”

 

Shauna beamed. “Thanks. And just remember, I’ve always got your back.”

 

Serena nodded. “Because friends should stick together.”

 

“Exactly.”


End file.
